had pleased thee to make vs rycher men of great authoritye knowing certaynly that if it were more expedient for thy glory and our saluation to haue eyther higher or lower of degre or greater ryches in this world then we haue as we thank thy goodnesse for that which we haue that both thou mightest by thyne owne omnipotent power and also by thy great goodnesse wouldest haue made vs great rich men lyke as thou haste in olde tyme aduaunced manye as of lowe degree as we are to great ryches and honour in the worlde therefore consydering it is neyther for promotion of thy honour nor for our profyte to be greater and richer thē we be we beseech thee make vs well contente from our hart with that degree and substance which we haue and to contynue in this laboryous state wherin we now are neither grudging agaynst thee for this our pouertye nor enuying the ryches and honour of other men knowing that the welth of rich men is profitable to vs and to all poore men and the prosperity of great men as our quietnes sauegard Moreouer O Lord we knowledge that it is thy diuyne maiesty that some should be set in high authoritye to rule other and some to be rycher then other for if al mē were in a lyke authority and riches ech man would dispyse his neighboures and the pride of men woulde be so intollerable that they woulde neuer suffer no good order to be in the worlde and on the other syde if all men were a lyke pore the mysery in the world would be so great that no man should be able to helpe another so that these diuers offices among men and this diuersitye of riches honours and pouerty which thou hast ordayned O Lord in this world is incomparable better for vs then any order that we can in our brayne deuyse to haue in earth therfore if any man be not content with his degree in this world hee must needes thinke himselfe to be a wicked man because he is sturdy and a stryuer agaynste thy ordynances and because we perceyue O Lord that many in the world are not content with their estates but seeke the honour and ryches of this world some be rebellyous and obstinate some Murtherers bribers theeues and other vniust men we mekely beseech thy diuyne maiesty to amend al such and to saue vs that we neuer consente to their wickednesse nor agree with them in their euil doings but euermore that wee maye haue thy grace to liue contēt with that which thou hast seute and will send vs by truth and honestye and iust meanes that wee running the race of this shorte lyfe in the way of thy commaundementes maye fynally through thy grace obtayne the lyfe euerlastyng in Heauen aboue Amen ¶ A Prayer for them that be at the poynt of Death O Most louing Sauyor gentle redemer which camest into the world to cal synners vnto repentance and to seke vp that was lost thou seest in what case thys our brother lyeth here vysyted with thy mercifull hand all weake feeble sick and ready to yeelde vp his soule into thy holy hands O loke vpon him most gentle Sauiour with thy mercifull eye yea pittie him and be fauourable vnto him he is thy workemāship despyse not the worke therefore of thyne handes thou sufferedst thy blessed body thy precious bloud to be shead for his sins and all ours and to bring him vnto the glory of thy heauēly Father let it not therefore come to passe that thou shouldest suffer so great paynes for him in vaine he was baptysed in thy name and gaue himselfe wholy to be thy seruaunt forsaking the Deuill the world and the flesh count him therefore before thy heauenly father and his blessed Aungels to be thy seruaunte his synnes we counte are great for who is able to say my hart is clean and I am free from my synne but thy mercies O Lord are much greater and thou camest not to call the righteous but the sinners vnto repentaunce to them that are diseased and ouerladen with the burden of sinne thou doest promise thou arte that God which wyllest not the death of a synner but rather that he should tourne and lyue thou arte that Sauyour which wyshest al men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of thy truth wythdraw not therefore thy mercyfull hande from hym because of his sinnes but rather lay vpon him thy sauing health that thou mayest shew thy selfe towardes him to be a Sauyour what greater prayse can be to a Phisition then to heale the sicke neither cā there be a greater glory to thee being a Sauyour of synners Saue him therfore O Lord for thy names sake Agayne let the law be no corisye to his conscience but rather giue him grace in this extreame Agonye and conflict of death to be fully perswaded that thou by thy death haste taken awaye all his sinnes and fulfylled the law for him and by this meanes deliuered him from the cares of the law and payde his raunsome that he thus being fully perswaded may haue a quyet harte a free conscience and a gladde will to forsake this worlde and to goe vnto his Lorde god Moreouer thou hast conquered him that had rule of death euen Sathan suffer him not therfore to excersyse his tyranny vpon this our sicke Brother nor to disquyet hys conscience with the terrours of his sinnes and paynes of Hell let not Sathan nor his infernall Armye tempt him further then he is able to beare but euermore giue him grace euen vnto his last breath valyauntlye to fyghte agaynst the Deuill with strong fayth in thy precious bloud that he may fight a good fight and fynish his course with ioy vnto the glory of thy holy name and the health of his soule O Lord so worke in him by thy holye spirite that he with all his hart may be content and despyse all worldlye thinges and to set his mynde wholye vppon heauenlye thinges hoping with a strong and vndoubted fayth Agayne let it not greeue him O sweete Sauyour to be loosened from this vyle and wretched carcase which is nowe so full of sorrow trouble anguishe sicknesse and paine but let him haue a bent readye wyll through thy goodnesse to put it of yea and that with thys fayth that he at the last daye shall receyue it againe in a much better state then it is now or euer was from the day of his byrth euen a body vncorruptible immortall and like to thy glorious body Let his whole hart and minde be set onely vppon thee let the remembraunce of the ioyes of heauen be so feruent in his breast that he may both paciently thankfully take his death and euer wyshe to be with thee in glory and when the time commeth that he shall giue ouer to Nature and depart from this miserable world vouchsafe we most humbly beseech thee O Lorde Iesu to take hys soule into thy handes and place it among
the glorious company of Aungels and blessed Sayntes and to keepe it to the moste ioyfull day of the generall resurrection that both his body and soule through thine almighty power being knit agayn togyther at that day he may for euer and euer inioy thy glorious kingdome and sing perpetual praises to thy blessed name Amen ¶ Exhortations to comfort the Sicke as long as they haue lyfe and vnderstanding NOwe Brother bee strong in the Fayth of Christ remember Christ crucified Remember Christ to be our alone Sauiour Remember God the Father to be your mercifull Father Forget not that all your sinnes are washed awaye in Christes bloud and that by the vertue of his death and Passion you are made heyre of euerlasting saluation Brother if you can speake answere mee and if you can not speake shewe some outwarde signe and token that it maye be a testimonye vnto vs of your fayth and godly departure ¶ If the Sick vnderstande you then say to him as followeth PErswade your selfe most deare Brother that God euen now calleth you out of thys vale of wretchednesse vnto the ioyfull enherytaunce of hys euerlastyng kingdome where you shall not lyue myserably with sinfull men as you haue done in thys world but you shall gloryouslye raygne wyth that moste mighty God and wyth his holye Aungels and blessed Sayntes Now begins your ioy your solas your comfort now begins your true lyfe which shall be euerlasting nowe is the end of all your sorrows and now beginneth their vnfayned ioyes and true felicitie now shall you see the gloryous maiesty of God face to face now shall you know and perfectly beholde all the godly that haue bene from the beginning of the world and be merry and reioyce with them now shal you see your Sauyour and elder brother Christe as he is Now shall you be clothed with the whyte Garments of immortalitie now shall you haue a crowne of Golde set vpon your head nowe shall you eate of the tree of lyfe which is in the midst of Paradice of God drinke of the Fountaynes of lyuing water now shall you bee a Piller in the temple of your God and sit with hym on his seate and these be the ioyes that shall be euerlasting and neuer haue ende vnto these ioyes shall you straight way goe and for euermore inioy them ¶ And so if he depart out of the world to God then say our Lorde God be praysed for taking him out of the troubles of this world a christyan and a godly ende made he God giue vs all the grace to make the lyke ende Amen OF a godly life commeth a good death if the departure of the Godly man may be called a death and not rather a passing vnto a better lyfe well his body now sleepeth in the Lorde and his soule reigneth in glory with God God graunt him and vs all a ioyfull resurrection Amen NEyghbours before we depart let vs knele downe and giue God the Father thanks for the Godly departure of this our brother in Christ and I will with Gods helpe and your assistaunce reade some Godly thing and I pray you all for to say this Collect after me ¶ The Collect following O How can we most louing father render vnto thee sufficiēt thanks for thyne inestimable godnesse towardes thy faythfull seruaunts whome thou calling oute of thys wretched world vouchsafe to place in thy heauenly kingdome among the gloryous company of thy holy Aungels and blessed Sayntes O full precious is the death of the faythfull in thy sight Blessed are the dead that dye in thee O Lord for they are at rest from their painful trauayles and labours The soules of the righteous are in thy hands O God and the payns of death shall not touch them in the sight of the vnwyse they appeare to dye but they are in peace they shyne as the sparkes that run through the redde Bush they glyster as the shyning of heauen they are as the starres world wythout end they are as the Aungels of God they are clad with whyte Garmentes and haue Golden Crownes vpon their heads they doe seruice day and night before the gloryous throne of thy diuyne Maiesty they neyther hunger nor thyrst any more neyther doeth the Sunne or any heate fall vppon them for the Lambe which is in the midst of the throane gouerneth them and leadeth them to the lyuing Fountaynes of water they follow the Lambe whether soeuer he goeth they haue suche ioyes as eye hath not seene nor eare hath not hearde neyther is there any hart able to thinke them Infinite and vnspeakeable are the Treasures O Lord which thou hast layd vp for them that departe in this Fayth for these thy fatherlye benifytes towardes the soules of thy faythfull and for that it hath pleased thee to call this our christen Brother from this vale of mysery vnto thy heauenly kingdome we giue vnto thee most harty thankes humblye beseeching thee that thou wilte take the lyke care for vs and so gouerne vs with thy holy spirite both in sicknesse in health that we may liue a good and Godly lyfe in this present world and whensoeuer it shall please thy Godly will and pleasure to cal vs hence we may with a strong faith in thee and in thy sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde commend both our bodyes and soules into thy mercifull handes and through thy goodnesse be placed in thy gloryous Kingdome among the faythfull chosen people and so for euer and euer prayse and magnifye thee our heauenly Father to whome with thy dearelye beloued sonne Iesu Christ our Lorde and sauiour and the holy Ghost that most sweete comforter be all glory and honour world without end Amen NOwe lette vs ryse and goe to comforte the friendes of this our Brother that they doe not much sorrow and lament for the departure of this our most deare brother which now resteth in ioyfull peace ¶ This done giue them councell to bestow of the burying of him so that you may please God best Then say this following THe very God of peace sanctifye vs throughout and so wholy preserue vs both spirite and soule and body that we may be blamed in nothing at the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen OVr Lorde Iesus Christe and GOD our Father which hath loued vs and hath geuen vs euerlasting consolation and good hope through grace comforte our hartes and stablishe vs in all good sayinges and doinges Amen PEace be vnto the Bretheren and loue wyth fayth from God the Father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ grace bee wyth all them which loue our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen BLessing and glorye and wysedome and thanks and honor and power might be vnto our God for euermore vnfainedly Amen FINIS Rom. 13. 1. Peter 2. Cato Math. 5. Iohn 17. Ecclesiast What is old age Seneca Titus 2. Agesilaus Ecclesia Alexander Esay 1. Zacha. 7. Ephe. 4. Iohn 3. Hebr. 12. Prou. 3. Cicero Toby Dany 14 Act. 21. Tim.
he that followeth ydlenesse shall haue pouertie Thou shalte eate the laboure of thy hands sayeth Dauid O well is thee and happy shalt thou be wherefore be not weary in well doing Puer Although that these sentences affyrm that labour is a thing necessary I doe not denye it for if a man eate or drinke it is labour if he goe abroad in the fields it is labour if he worke at any Science it is labour al this I know Ciuis Yea but there is further labour then that there is a labour fyrst to serue God and remember howe much bounde thou arte vnto him for hys bountious and lyberall good giftes whiche he doth bestow on thee thou must labour how to feare him how to obay the Prince and her Ministers and besydes I wil shew you somewhat what commeth of ydlenesse Puer I pray you let me here what ydlenesse is and the daunger thereof Ciuis I will mingle labour and ydlenesse togyther and as the Scripture alledgeth for them both I will shew you If the Mayster doe set his seruaunt to labour he shall fynd rest but if he let him go ydle he shall seeke libertye The yoake and the whippe boweth downe the harde necke but let him tame the euill seruaunt with bondes and correction Vnto the Horse saieth Salomon belōgeth a whip vnto the Asse a bridle and a rod to the fooles back Like as the dore turneth about vpon the Threshold euen so doth the slouthfull welter himselfe in bed The sluggard and ydle person thinketh himself wyser then seuen men that are wyse and sit and teach Set him to laboure for that belongeth vnto him He that will not worke shall not eate An ydle hand maketh pore but a quick labouring hande maketh riche who so gathereth in Sommer is wyse but he that is slouthfull and sluggish in Haruest bringeth himselfe to confusyon As vyneger is to the teeth and as smoke is vnto the eyes euen so is a sluggish person to them that send him forth A dilligent hand shall beare rule but the ydle shall be vnder Tribute The sluggard would fayne haue and cannot get his desyre but the soule of the dilligent shall haue plentie The way of the slouthfull is full of Thornes but the streat of the righteous is all cleansed Who so is slouthfull and slacke in hys labour is the brother of him that is a waster Slouthfulnesse bringeth sleepe and an ydle soule shall suffer hunger A slouthfull body shutteth his hande in his bosome so that for cold he cannot put it into his mouth Voluptuousnesse of the slouthfull is his owne death for by custome of labour we shall make the payne more easye to suffer His hands will not labour Antonyne an Emperour withdrew from dyuers persons their Pencions and Sallaries perceiuing them ydle saying that there was nothing more ▪ reprochfull and cruell then that they should knawe and deuour the Weale publicke Which with their labour nothing increased it Puer I confesse ydlenesse hath taught much vnhappinesse but I would God that we had such an Antonyne here among vs for then the Clergye woulde indeuour their selues to bestowe their labour and paynes whereby Gods word might increase Ciuis You saye truth Dorcas was a vertuous woman made Garmentes with her owne handes and gaue them to the pore Ioseph was a Carpenter his wyfe Mary and the mother of Christ did spinne and had knowledge in the Science of Weauing Thubalkan was a Smith and did labour to keepe himselfe from ydlenesse The sins of Sodome were these Pryde fulnesse of meate aboundaunce and ydlenesse To labour and to be content with that a man hath is a sweete pleasaunt lyfe and that is to fynde a treasure aboue all treasures Treasures that are wickedly gotten profiteth nothing but righteousnes deliuereth from deth Puer For all this your good exhortacions I render vnto you thankes praying to God that I may print them well in my mynd and although before I tolde you that I would haue ease and be a Townseman I confesse euery one is not borne to be a Prince or a Ruler nor to be a Husbandman nor an Artifycer or Marchaunt but the vocation that GOD hath called them vnto they muste bee contente with yet I doe not abhorre or despyse laboure but doè proteste your sayinges to bee good and profytable Notwithstanding of myne interprise which I haue taken in hande I am not thorowly resolued The world is so now a dayes in that order that one man dareth not disclose his mynde to another the more it is to be lamented and yet they bragge and boast that the Gospell is preached abroade and it should be the better But it doth not appeare so but as I haue harde my father and mother say I would the olde learning-were vp agayne Ciuis So it is GOD be praysed therefore for this is the old Religion and now the Gospell flourisheth and it is long of the hearers that doe not printe the true and liuely word of Iesus Christ in their mindes for it goeth in at the one eare and out at the other the more it is to be lamented and I am sorye therefore Puer Well I cannot tel but I haue heard my father say often tymes that the holy and blessed Masse was a goodly thing and then men liued more in fere Ciuis A goodly thing no no you are a yong man giue no attētiue eare vnto such fond talke it was a thing abhominable and most detestable I am sure the Minister doth not teach you but to the contrary Puer I cannot tell hee sayeth one thing without his booke and he sayeth another on his booke but what it is I doe not vnderstand Ciuis The more is the pittie haue you not preaching in your Church Puer Preaching say you I know not what it is Ciuis I will teach you but wilte thou not be perswaded by me once agayne to goe backe agayne Puer No I thanke you for I am sure you speake it vnto mee of Friendshippe yet GOD wylling I will see London and be a Townseman there for your perswasyons hath mooued mee not to bee a Seruingman Ciuis I am gladde that my eruditions hath so mooued you but I coulde declare vnto you manye moe storyes then that of Esop but you are yong and not passing eyghteene yeares olde and when you come to London you must be aprentise and bound to serue seuen or eyght yeares and if you serue your mayster well and truly you shal be a Free man of the same Citty and that is your desyre Puer It is euen so yet I may be bolde to say vnto you I am bounde alredy I know not what you mene by bynding my father was a bondman bound to a Gentleman in our countrey they call him Mayster L. P. a very good worshipful Gentleman who is the Lorde of all our towne and a verye good Gentleman to
and laboreth gladly with her handes she is lyke a Marchauntes shippe that bringeth her victuals from farre Happye is that man that hath a vertuous wyfe for the number of his yeares shall be double An honest woman maketh her husband a ioyfull man A good name is more worth then a pretious oyntment and the daye of death is better then the daye of Byrth Puer You haue recyted fruitefull sentences vnto me as well of the good as the euill yet I am desyrous if you can to knowe of you what other punishments are only concerning whoredome Ciuis There were slayn in one day of the Iewes twenty foure thousand for the whoredome that they committed Zaleucus a Heathen and a Pagon being a ruler in the cittie of Locres which is in Greece or Calabre ordayned a law for adulterie that who so shoulde be taken in aduoultery should haue both his eyes pluckt out it fortuned that his sonne was the fyrst transgressor thereof and the Citizens pardoned him yet his father woulde not haue the Lawe so broken but for the performance therof had one of his own eyes pluckt out and one of his sonnes Among the Parthians no faulte was more grieuously punished then Adultery in so much that the offenders somtime perished by hanging sometime by sworde sometyme by fyre sometyme by drowning The law of the Tartarians was that Adulterers shoulde bee slayne out of hand The prodigall sonne consumed the Talente which his father did giue him by whoredome and was brought to beggerye The Metyleans strangled all such as were taken in aduoultery without mercy showne The Thracians law was that who so was taken in whoredome should be stripped naked and be bound to a post and so with Arrowes pierced and stryken to death Puer All these are sore and bitter punishmentes for Adulterers God bee praised the laws of this realm ar not so streight for that only offence Ciuis No the old auncient custom vsage of Lōdon is that al those which do commit whoredome shal ride in a cart about the citty which is to the offēders great ignomy and shame Quintus Antiotius did put awaye his wife because she openly in the streat talked with an harlot and common woman Publius Menius most greeuously punished his seruant for kissing his daughter and charged her that she should not onely bring her bodye to her husband free from all vncleannesse but also from kisses Gaius Emperour at Rome after Peters deth reigned iij. yere x. mōths which was as Policronicon in his chronicles declareth vicious in liuing for he abused ij of his own Sisters and by one of them he begat a Daughter which child he set betwene the knes of Iupiter in the temple and sayd that Iupiter had gotten the same chyld wherfore he commaunded thorow the country that al mē should worship her as a Goddesse this Emperour also made an Image lyke himselfe and sent it to one Patrony presidēt at Ierusalem vnder the Romayns comanding him that he should compell the Iewes to do worship therto for these inormities Gaius was slayne at Rome in his own Pallace Puer I haue sene some that hath sene a moat in their brothers eye hath had a great beame in his own you talk wisly I mark it wel the flesh is fraile wicked Adam was tempted by Eue so cānot a woman in like maner tempt you you are flesh blood as another māis necessity hath no law the prouerb sayth You are very earnest with me it is for my learning I pray God that both of vs might folow your documēt but the cōtrary is sene of some of those that seme to be great professours of religion their deedes are contrary yet they will teach and shew others their dueties and pluck a thorne out of another mans foote and put it in their owne Ciuis Euery one that sayeth Lord Lord shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen but hee that doeth the will of my father sayeth Christe So if they professe Iesus Christ and doe not after his preceptes they are as euill as Iudas God roote them out of my selfe I must confesse to be a sinner and one that am ashamed to shew my selfe before the glorye of God my sins are so manifolde yet will I say and excuse my selfe concerning whoredome as faythfull Iobe sayde If my harte hath-lusted after my neighboures wyfe or if I haue layde wayght at hys dore O then let my wife be another mans harlot and let other lye with her for this is a wickednesse and sin that is worthy to be punished As for whoredome and all vncleannesse let it not be named among you Puer Why then haue you made so much to doe with me about it and haue named it to me so often Ciuis To giue you gentle admonition thereof Puer I thanke you for it this talk I assure you it pleseth me wondrous well and is to me as sweete as honey I haue gone a great way to day and am wearye and because I knowe not the way to London and am mynded to goe thyther and now hauing your company maketh me the ioyfuller if it please you because that I am drye I will giue you in this towne a Cake and a pot of Ale or Beere Ciuis God haue mercye my friend for thy gentle proffer I will giue it thee and be as glad of thy company for a man trauayling by the way alone it is vncomfortable wherefore I was glad I met with you Puer And so was I. Ciuis Here is the Ale-house Hoe are you within I pray you giue vs a Cake and a pot of Ale for my friend and mee here at the dore Ancilla I pray you friends come in you shall haue the best Ale in all this towne Puer She speaketh well I pray God she doeth as she sayeth loe here she bringeth it Ancilla Here is that you called for if you would haue come in you might haue had a cloth for you but you take paynes here at the dore Ciuis God be praised for this being here it sufficeth vs as wel and better for now we are standing we are stil ready to go Puer You say troth well Ancilla here is Money for it I pray you syr be content for at thys tyme I will paye for it and you shall paye for the next Ciuis Content with that and I thanke you hartilye and let vs goe Puer Farewell Ancilla we thank you it was very good Ale. Ancilla It was of my Dames owne brewing God bee with you both and be your good speede Puer I thanke thee Ciuis This suffyceth me better then if a man shoulde haue gone to the Tauerne and sit there tipling for one thing you must take heede you are a yong man peraduenture when you come to London you shall be acquaynted with some of your Countreymen who will aduertise you to go to the
the Parentes themselues to be an ensample in this behalfe vnto their children and seruauntes and shew euermore such reuerence vnto the name of GOD that the yonglinges maye well perceyue that it is no vayne thing that they are taught If they doe the contrary that is to say blaspheme the holy name of God then shall they vndoubtedly come vnto dishonour and a shamefull ende In this world the plague and vengeance of God shall not goe away from their houses they shall be stricken with many greuous diseases in their bodyes their goods and Cattell yea and all that euer they haue shall come to nought their kynde of liuing shall be despysed with all good men their death shal be paynful miserable and wretched and after these so great and manifolde plagues they may be sure for their wicked swearing to be cast into Helfyre where the flames of it shal neuer be quenched where weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be where the wormes shall knawe their owne consciences and shall neuer dye More ensamples might be declared at large for thys matter but you shall here further what S. Paule writeth to the Ephesians the sixt chapter vnto maysters Ye maysters sayeth he doe euen the same vnto your seruants putting away threatnings and know that euen your maister also is in heauen neyther is there anye respecte of person wyth him Puer You haue accomplished my desyre But I pray you good mayster Citizen let mee some what vnderstande your mynde of the dutye of the seruauntes and in what order the maysters do take them in London when they come rawlye as I doe out of the cuntrey Ciuis The Citizens that lack seruants and especialy those that are men of great welth will seeke to haue some sufficient Sureties for those that they wil entertayn into their seruice and good consyderation it is for a man maye take into his house one that shall soone vndoe his mayster before hee hath warning thereof I woulde GOD Citizens would take heede of mayster Lillyes sayings Happy is he whome other mens harmes canne make hym to bee warned Puer As you saye then it is requisyte that he shall haue suretyes for his truth and honest behauiour but euery one that commeth to London is not of that ability Ciuis It is so therefore some honeste man doeth put it in aduenture Puer I truste in GOD so will some honeste man doe with mee I praye you doe you knowe anye honest man that lacketh a Seruaunte I force not of what occupation Ciuis I wil say vnto you as S. Iude sayeth in his Epistle I willingly would wish you vnto him that is able to keepe you that you fall not Puer I thank you for that I pray you now shewe vnto me the order and vsage of the apprentises how they be bound what the scripture sayth agreable thervnto Ciuis I wil. Whē you haue contynued a tyme with your mayster you shall goe with him to the Hall that he is free of before the mayster and Wardones of that company be presēted that they may view see you whether you be crooked or lame they wil giue you good instructions to shew you what your dutye is as well to God and vnto your mayster and mistresse and also to know your duety as S. Peeter commandeth honour all men loue brotherly felowship and as the Lord hath called euerye person so lette him walke Also you must be bound by a payre of Indentures for so many yeares as your Mayster and you can agree for alwaies prouided whē you come out of your yeres before you haue the liberties of London you must be of the age of foure and twenty yeres the same maister as I told you in the duty of maysters must teach you or cause you to be taught your occupation he to find you meat drink linnen wollen hose shoes and all other such necessaries And if you haue serued your mayster truely then he wil make you a freeman of London wherby you may liue with the ayde of almighty God doe full well as your mayster before you hath done You must be carefull and myndfull to carry awaye good exhortations when you heare them and willing and dilligent to please your Mayster and Mistresse in which doing you shall fynde great commoditie and profyte Puer When a man is bound shal he not go into the Countrey to see his friendes during the tyme of his Apprentiship nor a shooting in the fyeldes I loue that excercise well Ciuis Not without your mayster and Mistresse giue you leaue and you must take heede you doe not tarry long abroade then neyther for when you are absent you know not occasyon of busynesse they shall haue for you to doe Puer Then the seruants are at a better poynt in the countrey although they take paynes on the working dayes yet they maye goe leape shote Daunce Dise Card and bowle and vse what gaming they shall think good on the Sondaye and Holiday Ciuis You cannot do so in London I remember there was a statute made in the sixte yeare of the reigne of King Henrye the eyght that al Constables and other head officers fynding or knowing any person vsing or exercysing any vnlawfull Games as Tenis playe bowles Claish and al other vnlawful games prohibited by many statutes shall haue full power to commit euery such offender to warde there to remayne without Bayle or Maynprise tyll such tyme he or they so offending be bound by obligation to the Kinges vse in such somme as by discretiō of the same Officer shal be thought reasonable that they from thenceforth shal not vse any vnlawfull Games and besydes in another statute the Constables doth incur the daunger of a penaltie assessed vpon them for the neglecting of their duetyes and office and is not this put in execution in your countrey Puer God forbid it shoulde what shoulde wee doe when Seruice is done Ciuis I told you in the duety of the maysters so it is the dutye of alseruauntes to vse games and honest pastymes and excercyses alowable by the lawes of this realme that is shooting or else adict your selfe if you cannot reede with some well disposed person that can reade to here the scriptures reade descant vpon them and let that be your games and pastymes Puer These are very straunge conceites and doe the seruauntes in London I pray you vse this exercise Ciuis If they doe not it is lamentable their duety it is and myne lykewyse although wee be obliuious therin God graunt that we may be more myndfull thereof Puer I pray you now proceede and shew mee some aucthours and the duety of a seruaunte towarde his mayster Ciuis I thanke God I can somewhat shew it vnto you for I haue bene a seruant and now a mayster haue charge of seruants whereby I should know both although I must needes confesse Therighteous man offendeth and so may both
will serue seuen or eyghte yeares and stryue with the world I praye God sende me a good mayster and I doubt not I but so to indeuour my selfe to refrayn my old accustomed chyldish toyes which I did frequent at home Ciuis So sayd and so done is a thread well spone for haue this regarde with your selfe thou must commit thy workes vnto the Lord and loke what thou doest it shall prosper If ye be louing and obedient sayth the Prophete ye shall enioy the best thing that groweth in the Land but if ye be obstynate and rebellyous ye shall be deuoured with the sword for thus the Lorde hath promysed with his owne mouth When you are well placed with an honest mā remember what S. Paule sayeth to the Ephesyans Seruauntes be obedyent vnto your carnall maysters with feare and trembling in singlenesse of your harts as vnto Christ and agayne in the thyrd chapter to the Colossians Seruantes be obedyent vnto your bodily maysters in all things not with eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenesse of harte And what soeuer you doe doe it hartily as though you did it to the Lorde and not to men you shall receaue the reward of inheritaunce for ye serue the Lord Christ Here you may well perceaue and vnderstande what a comfortable and a precyous rewarde Gods seruauntes shall haue S. Paule wryteth to Timothie in the syxte Chapter Let as many Seruaunts as are vnder the yoake count their maysters worthye of all Honoure that the name of God and his doctryne be not euill spoken of for the same bread you breake vnto others shall be broken vnto you agayne Consyder I beseech you the thinges that grow vpon the earth and all liuing creatures beastes and wormes that creepe vppon the grounde Foules of the ayre and Fyshes of the Sea doe you not see how euer the stronger hath the dominyon of the weaker neyther is it any rebuke or shame for the weaker to be obedient or giue place to the stronger For the Oxe and Goate is in awe of the Lyon the Ramme and Ewe of the Wolfe the Cowe and the Lambe feare the Beare the Goate the Libbarde the Hawke is afrayde of the Eagle the Doue of the Hawke waye the maner of Beastes and Byrdes amongst their owne kynde you see euer the bigger and strōger to be mayster ouer the lesse and weaker And so in all other thinges the stronger sette themselues before the weaker always wherfore Iosephus exhorteth all mortall men to learne here at Obey them that haue the ouersighte of you and submit yourselfe vnto them The faythful man is like a tree planted by the water side that wil bring forth his fruit in due season Puer I would to God that our old priest at home woulde saye but halfe so muche to the ynog men there they would not loue him for there are some vylde churlish Carles that care not what paynes or drudgery they put their seruauntes vnto but I hope it is not so in London Ciuis I haue tolde you ynough of the vsage and dealing of seruauntes there both of their true dealing of their handes and wordes yet Saynte Paule exhorteth Tytus That Seruauntes should be obedient vnto their owne maysters and to please in all thinges not aunswering him agayne neyther be pickers but that they shew all faythfulnesse that they may doe worship to the doctryne of our sauyour God in all thinges Puer It is a thing which alwayes is to bee abhorred and so I trust to doe for I perceyue there is nothing gotten with frowardnesse for they say of gentlenesse commeth ease And besydes I neuer loued to be a picker for I learned in my Cathechisme that I shoulde keepe my handes from picking and stealing and my tongne from lying and slaundering and you haue tolde me many sentences for the taking heede thereof Ciuis A faythful seruant is greatly to be commended but hee that maketh much haste to slouthfulnesse shall not be vnguiltye He that robbeth his mayster and mistresse and sayeth it is no synne the same is lyke to a Murtherer You must therefore take heede I haue seene them in London that hath bene Apprentises for their pilfring hath bene whipped and had good exhortations geuen them and they are not the better Puer It is but a folly to cast pearles amongest swyne it is as wel regardede among them as good instructions is to a heard of Beasts the more is the pittie it is for lack of grace Ciuis If you pick or stele aboue twelue pence the lawes of this realme is death the lawes of God against you for the scripture sayth Thou shalte not steale and agayne he that keepeth company with a theefe hateth his own soule Let him that stale steale no more The Prophet Zachary sayth all theeues shal be iudged after Gods booke and all swearers shall be adiudged to the same I wil bring it forth saith the Lord of Hoastes so that it shall come to the house of the theefe and to the house of him that falsely sweareth by my name and shall remain in his house and consume it with the tymber and stones thereof Saynt Iohn sayeth A theefe commeth not but for to steale kill and destroy The Prophet commaundeth vs that we should loue no false theeues Wherefore you must take heede and lette this be well noted in your mynde Ye shall not steale Puer But I pray you let me vnderstand somwhat more what God meaneth in the same saying thou shalt not steale Ciuis I tolde you that S. Paule sayeth lette him that stele steale no more but let him rather labour with his handes the thing whiche is good that he may giue vnto him that needeth Puer Will not God punish al those that transgresse his commaundement Ciuis Why should they sleepe vnpunished Puer I pray you let me heare it prooued by the worde of God that the trangressoures of this commaundement shal not escape from punishment Ciuis God commaunded in the law of Moyses that if any person among the Israelytes did steale a man and sell him the same shoulde suffer death Also that if a man taking a theefe in his house before day light it shoulde be lawful to kil him S. Paule wryteth that theeues extorcioners robbers cursed speakers neyther pillers shall inherite the Kingdome of god The Prophet Esaye cryeth out agaynste the theefe on this manner Wo be vnto thee that spoylest for thou shalt be spoyled agayne So lykewyse the Prophete Micheas saying O wo be vnto them that imagyne to doe harme and deuyse vngraciousnesse vpon their beds to performe it in the cleare day for their power is agaynst God. When they come to haue Land they take it by vyolence they robbe men of their houses Thus they oppresse a man for his house and euery man for his heritage Therfore thus sayth the Lorde Beholde agaynst this houshold I